L.A. County Phishing Attack: 750,000 record data breach
Most of the 756,000 people whose information may have been accessed had contact with the Department of Health Services, according to the county. A smaller amount of confidential information from more than a dozen other county departments also was compromised.
“These kinds of phishing attacks are on the rise throughout society — and the county has not been immune from that trend,” county spokesman Joel Sappell said in a statement.
Among the data potentially accessed were names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, financial information and medical records — including diagnoses and treatment history — of clients, patients or others who received services from county departments.
In February, officials disclosed that the Department of Health Services had been targeted in ransomware attack, a type of malware that cuts off users’ access to files or threatens to destroy them unless a ransom is paid.
The county is offering a year of free credit and identity-theft monitoring for people affected by the May phishing attack and has set up a website and call center for those seeking information: (855) 330-6368.
Ransomware attacks very often succeed through a phishing attack with a spoofed 'From' address. These types of attacks are hard to spot and employees tend to fall for them.
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